EDENTON, N.C. - One North Carolina community is taking action to make sure its most vulnerable residents are taken care of.
22 percent of the people who live in Edenton are over 65, so volunteers are going door-to-door handing out signs.
Residents can display them in their windows to indicate if they're doing okay or need help.
On one side is a green check on a white background indicating that all is well. The other side has a white plus symbol on a red background which means someone needs help.
The idea of the "Neighbor to Neighbor" program is to have people check on each other and help out if someone needs something, like groceries or prescriptions.
"We know we’re all going through difficult times. We think the strength of the community can be expressed in caring for its most vulnerable neighbors," said Town Councilman Roger Coleman who is helping to organize the effort.
So far, volunteers have handed out about 1,700 signs and are still passing out more.
Since many people don’t have access to the internet or smartphones, they’re also handing out information on how people can take care of themselves.
"Edenton is known as the prettiest small town in the south and that’s true, there’s no question about that," said Coleman, "we’re trying to promote ourselves as the most caring small town in the south."
The town has also been encouraging people to show their appreciation for others, so some young people have put up chalk drawings showing their thanks at various places, including the police station and post office.
